The Dillon tribune., 1887-03-25
MOOSE HUNTING.
ONE MAN DOES THE WORK WHILE
THE OTHER SEES THE FUN.

Pleasures Of Hunting BY JACK A's""
uow the Moose, Feeding by Night
neeone, the Prey of the Hunter
After the shot.
The moose seeks his food where the ye.'
To-. water l:ly is found. 1t is not, now
ever, tho leaves nor the blossoms "il1c!i
arc soug:.t, But the roots. These cAtcnu
in . perfect network through the muu IN
which they grow, attaining g thickness
exceeding mans arm and an indefinite
lonrth. There is no disputing about
tastes. and consequently we wiz no:
cr;ticisc the moose for being 50 fond OF
this vegetable But to the human palate
it is dry. insipid and puckery. TO obtain
this he will wade out into the water ana
sousc his head beneath the surface until
even lis ears ere submerged Then nav
ja- vrcuche.l chunk Of greater or less
length from is bed, he withdraws his
head, end. dripping water from each OF
t.,c numerous a,;.cS which characterize
III; ur;y p,.ys.cgno,n:. he stands the
picture Ct pure ani1n"l enjoyment, chew
ing cway =. Cac end of the root. while the
other st:c....- OF. Of his mouth like cigar.
To catch liz. i: the middle Of tii5 per-
formaucc is ...c constant burden OF the
hunters prayers.
Should the night promise to be still,
warm and dark, tie hunter scours the re-
flector Of his jack until it shines Ike sill
yer, and breathes upon and wipes its glass
lens until it is speckless. The lamp within
should emit a powerful light, but the cas-
ing must he so constructed that not the
faintest gliumer can escape until Its aid
is required and hinged cover, which
caps the glass, is dropped.
In this. as in most other forms Of moose
hunting, two form the colnrany-one to
do the work while the other takes in the
fun-und, US III many other things in this
life, ultimate success depends moro on
the skill of the former than on that OF the
latter.
After the jack has been lit some twenty
minutes, SO that the maximum OF light
possible without smoke is assured, the
pair bctake themselves to the canoe.
Blankets are spread on the bottom of the
boat to deaden any motion of the feet.
He who is to shoot seats himself in the
bow. while his companion first wraps him
in blankets and then arranges the jack.
This is best suspended from I. frame be-
hind the ritlcmcn: but it should be so
connected with his head that the beam of
light will follow its every motion when
the jack is open. With the glass uncov-
cred, the rifle is thrown to the shoulder,
and the connection Of the jack with the
headgear is so adjusted ths. when the
most convenient aim is taken it will he
directly in the center Of illumination.
Thus both sights of the rifle arc perfectly
visible, and tho difficulty is no longer to
shoot with accuracy, but only to obtain
sufficiently distinct view of the object to
be hit.
When this is complete the other takes
his place in the stern, folds his blanket
over his lap, and, grasping h;s paddle,
pushes from, the bank. The jack is then
closed, and complete darkness and silence
follow.
AS noiseless as the shadow of cloud,
the canoe steals along, and hour after
hour its occupants, relying solely on the
sense OF hearing, strain every nerve to de-
tect an indication Of the near neichbor.
hood OF the game they seek.
At last comes slow and measured sound
slosh, slosh; and then all is still
again. The heart of the hunter shriyels
within him to the size Of lemon, and
Tiles into his throat, where it keeps up
such humping that it seems impossible
that the noise should escape the quick ear
OF the game. With the utmost caution
the rifle Is brought to the full cock, and
the left hand freed, ready to open the lack
ct the prcconcerted signal, which it is the
duty OF the paddler to give.
Every ache and pain is at once forgotten
IN the all absorbing question. Will he re-
nam IN the water or take to the bank.
and, burying himself in the woods escapes
FOR he is still far beyond the range of the
jack, and not till it will surely show him
up must it be opened. II the motion Of
the canoe was slow before, it seems ioubly
SO now, and minute after minute, each ap.
parentiy an hour, tlrags on, and stiu the
noise, repeated at intervals. seems no
At length, after seemingly endless de-
lay, comes the signal to open the iack.
ano inc light streams forth. There he
stands, mid leg deep in the water. dim.
ana monstrous, his eyes glarine
ssseh IN the light, with the malcvolence Of
demon. Tie win stay but for a second.
ano Only TO decide which way to retreat
1alse r inc r'tle slowly, but lose no time.
raw as careful bead rs though shoot. !
ing et two-inch bulls eye, and give it to |
4 a. - !snt throush-not behind-thc mid |
as y. 'he lore shoulder. For 4 second the |
snoAe ooscures the result. Is he down ~ |
up: IN either case, dose him again if yon
Fan; but If you cannot, close the iack nt
once Now is no time to ask yo,r % cors ~
pahloh: DO You think hit hiu1s IF ro,,
were ; silent before, be doubly so now. and
is.en. Does he burst into and taor
the woods as though he had cona
mo- inc kndling wood business and was
asing in winters stock, md ,1o wa, va,
Lear ,a''l nm crashing and smashing unit, the
'onnd dies away on the distant mnnnto;n @ @
@ '.ae' 1t was clear miss, or at ~ hest -
sraze. a:, but no; the uproar dies awav md
slencc You can almost fool o,s.'. suo